Machine for die curling can end flanges



Dec. 23, 1947. w. J. GElST MACHINE FOR DIE CURLING CAN END FLANGES Filed July 18,. 1945 5 SheetsSheet 2 :3 Z i 7 W ZZ MA mu/2W 2 2 U f 2 4 2 4 3 4 J a .w J 4 INVENTOR. HOW/am J G e137 Dec. '23, 1947.

w. J. GEIST 2,

MACHINE FOR DIE CURLING CAN END FLANGES Filed July 18, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 23, i947 :s

MACHINE FOR DIE CURLING CAN END FLANGES 'William J.'Geist, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 18, 1945, Serial No. 605,795

An object of the invention is to provide a ma- 1 chine wherein the can end flange may be curled by dies moving radially of the can end and in the plane of the can end flange.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type wherein the portion of the flange which is to be curled is bent at an angle to the plane of the flange preparatory to the die curling of the same.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

' In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention:

Figure'l is a vertical sectional view through a portion of the machine at the curling station and at right angles to the line of feed of the ends to the curling dies;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through a portion of the machine on a line parallel with the line of feed;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail of a portion of the curling head showing the operating mechanism for one of the die sections;

Figure 4 is a detail showing in part the chuck, the curling die, the bending ring and the position of the can end when fed beneath the curling head;

Figure 5 is a similar view but showing the can end lifting pad raised into contact with the end and the end forced into the bending ring;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing the can end forced all the way through the bending ring and into engagement with the chuck and the curling dies with the dies retracted;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but showing the dies as having moved inwardly for curling the flange;

Figure 8 is an enlarged View of a portion of the end as fed to the improved curling dies;

Figure 9 is a similar view but showing the portion of the flange which is to be curled bent at an angle to the plane of the flange as a preliminary to the curling of the flange;

Figure. 10 is a similar view showing the flange curled.

-The invention has to do with a machine for die curling the flange of a can end preparatory to the securing of the can end flange to a can body. In Figure 8 of the drawing a can end I is shown in part, which includes a central depressed portion 2 Claims. (Cl. 153--34) "surrounded bya vertical wall 2 from which pro jectsa horizontal flange 3. This end is formed from a body blank by dies. In order that the end may be secured to a can body'by rolling the flange of the end into contact with the body wall, it is desirable that this flange at the outer peripheral edge thereof shall be curled, as indicated at 4 in Figure 10, and that the curl be embedded in the body wall.

The present invention has to do with a machine for die forming this curl 4 at the edge portion of the flange 3 of the can end I. fed one at a time beneath a die curling head. Associated with this die curling head is a bending ring. The end is lifted from its support into contact with the bending ring, and forced through the bending ring, which operates to turn the portion of the flange which is to be curled downward at an angle to the plane of the flange, as indicated at 5 in Figure 9. The end with this preliminary bend 5 is then placed on a chuck and segmental dies are moved inwardly. The dies engage this bent edge portion and form it into the curl, as shown at 4 in Figure 10.

The can ends I are fed one at a time along a support 6 by a feed bar carrying feed dogs 1. Immediately underneath the curling head 8 are can end supporting members 9, 9. 'These supporting members move at right angles to the line of feed of the can ends. In. Figure 1 they are shown at the inner position of movement. These supporting members are moved into the position stated by springs l0, Ill. The can ends are fed along the support 6 onto these supporting members 9, 9.

The curling head 8 includes a stationary supporting member I I carrying a chuck l2. Beneath the chuck I2 is a bending ring l3 or female dieshaping member. Just above the bending ring are segmental dies l4, l4. The machine is particularly adapted for curling the flange on an end which is to be seamed to a can body having flat sides and rounded corners. The curling dies and the operating means therefor is very similar in construction and operation to the curling dies shown in my copending application Serial No. 495,201, filed July 17, 1943, and, therefore, it will only be necessary to describevery briefly the means for moving these segmental dies radially of the curling head.

The curling dies are supported on the bending ring so that they can move freely radially of the chuck. Each curling die has an inwardly pro jecting portion l5 which is adapted to operate in a groove 16 in the chuck l2. The curling die The can ends are i has a flat portion I! which terminates in a curved portion [8 which operates upon the flange of the end. for the curling of the same. The outer ends of the segmental dies are inclined as indicated at, I 9. A cam ring 20 is provided with a cam face 2i which is adapted to engage the inclined face l-9i-afonthei.dies for forcing the same inwardlyxwhen the ring20 is Flowered.

Pivoted to the stationary head II are levers 22. at its lower end with a projecting nose 24, which extends into a slot 25 in the die segment. Associated with th cam ring 20 is an inwardly projecting plate 26 which is adapted .toeengageza curved cam surface 21 on .each of the levers The cam ring 20 is carried by rods 28 which are reciprocated by suitable means land when the cam rin moves upwardly, this plate "26 will engage the levers 22 and will retract or move-outwardly the segmental dies. These segmental dies arethereforepositively-moved:inward by the-cam ringl-zfl engaging the inclined face 49 on the-die segments :and are positively moved outward by the ;.plate :26 engaging the cam face-of .therlevers. It will be understood .that there-are alseries of these levers and .the operation is practically :the same asthat shown anddescribedin-mycoPending application.

Immediately below the die curling head .is-a lifting pads-29. Associated with this lifting pad is a male .die member 30. vThe lifting pad is mountedin a plunger 3| which iis .raisedand 9, 9 the lifting pad'29 and die 30 are simultaneously raised so as to engage the .can "end. The male die:member is provided with:cam faces '40, 40. These cam .ifaces engage inclined faces'f l'l, 4| on the .can end supports 9, "Q. The upward movement therefore of the die will force these supportsS; 9 away from each other and permit theprojecting portion 42 "of "the male die member 38 to lift the end and'forceitinto thebending-ring 'l3,'as shownin Figure 5. The die member only 'moves into the ring to 'a limited extent but sufficientto cooperate with 'the bending-ring in-thedie-shaping of the downwardly bent portion -'on-the*can end. The cam32 is so shaped that the lifting pad carries -the can end all the -way through the ring and places the-same-on the chuck l2. When the end is fully seated on the-chuck, the upper faceof the fiange of "the end will 'contact with the un'der face -l'l'of {the segmental dies, The-operating means Ffor the:cam-ring 2llnow comes into action and forces :the segmental idies inwardly, form-- ing the bent end 75 :into the curl A, as .shown' in Figure 17. dAfter completingithe *curl the segmental idles are retracted, the lifting tpad moved down, and the end will move down ttherewith until-itis positioned asrshown in Figure 2.

.Mounted. cnthefeedbariis afeeddog'43. This feed dogisrpivotedat 44 to the feedbar andiis lifted by {means-f 1a ZSPliHg so ithat the shoulder 45 :.onathe -feed'dogwvilluengage the canen-d and Each lever is pivoted at 23 and is provided.

this will move the can end to the right, as viewed in Figure 2, pulling the end from beneath the head. At the same time the feed dog 1 will engage the next end and move it beneath the head, ready for the next curling operation.

It is believed that the operation of the machine 'has'been described in detail sufficient for an understanding of the same. i While the machine has been described as especially adapted for the curl- .ing of a flange on an end having fiat sides and rounded corners, it will be understood that the 'mmaohine can be readily adapted for curling ends and be removed' from beneath the head by the feeding mechanism.

It is obvious that many changes in the details of construction and arrangement of the parts may b made without departing from the spirit of .the'invention asset forth in the claims.

.I-claim:

:1..A -maohine for curling the flanges of can ends comprising means for supporting aiflanged can end, a-chuck disposed directly above said supporting means,.-.reciprocating curling'dies associated with the achuck and movable radially thereof, a bending ring disposed beneath the vchuckiand spaced therefrom, a'male die for lifting the end .from its support .and forcing the same intoithe ring whereby theedge portion of the .fiange ,-is bent .at right angles thereto, and a lifting pad associated with the male die for carrying the .endthrough the .ring into engagement. with the chuck and into range with the reciprocating dies a means operating in timing with theliiting means for moving the curling dies into engagement with the bent portion of the flange for forming a (curling therein.

.2. A.machine .for curling the flanges of can ends comprising a chuck, reciprocating curling dies associated with the chuck andmovable radially thereof, .radially movable devices beneath the chuck for supporting .the can end by the flange thereof and for centering said can end beneath the chuck, a spring means for moving said devices inwardly, a bending ring disposed between said chuck and said can end supporting devices, a male die for lifting the end from its supporting devices and for forcingthe same'into the bending ring whereby the edge portion of theflange is bent at right angles thereto, a lifting pad associated with the male die for carrying the end through the ring into engagement with.the-'chuck'andinto range with the reciprocating dies-and meansoperating intiming with the liftin ad'formovingthe curling diesinto engagement withthe'bent portion of the flange for forming'a, curltherein.

J. GEIST.

REFERENCES CI'IED The following references are .of record in "the file-of .this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number :Name Date 888,264 Rhodes May 19, 190,8 -'950',0-17 :Eldridge Feb. 22, 1910 1,341,589 Rehfuss 'May'25, 1920 1,442,754 Wendel Jan. 16, :1923 1,532,318 :Kisinger Apr. 7, 1925 1,743,475 .-P-arish i. Jan. 14, 1930 

